Secrets and Shadows: Book I Ice Slayer
by Robert E. Wolfe
Summary: Kayden had been many things... a soldier, an assassin, and a priest. But most importantly he was and would forever be Kayden the Ice Demon, and he knew no amount of repenting would change it. However Kayden will soon discover the one thing that can...
1. Prologue: Broken Promises

Broken Promises  
  
Rey was overjoyed as he lay in the noon sun. He loved these hills behind his house, and spent many days simply staring up at the clouds. Carelessly he would wonder what made the clouds float and the sky blue. "Kay would know, he knows everything," he said aloud to himself. His older brother was much different from other people. Their father Angel had sent Kayden off to a place called Avalon at age twelve, to learn from the same swordsman who taught him, said it was his destiny to be a warrior. When Kayden returned as a man he was different, something in his eyes. He looked upon every living thing without any sense of wonder or amazement at the mysterious of life, as if there weren't any. He would talk of the stars being millions of miles away, and all living things being connected to one another. Most of it went of Rey's head, "How can a man be part of a cow?" he would ask, and his older brother would just shake his head at the dark haired young man and look off disappointed.  
  
Tired of reminiscing, Rey sat up and stretched. He'd be seeing his brother at the wedding. He was still in shock of his good fortune, in five days he would be marrying the woman of his dreams. Rey was always very shy and found himself nervous in the company of women. Not so with Paliah, with her he felt confident and childish, and wonderfully inspired. A tinker by trade, Rey made simple pieces of bronze or silver, occasionally a customer would pay extra for a work of gold. Mostly he made brooches, and coincidentally this is how he won Paliah's attention. She had heard of the quality of his work, and had requested that he make a silver brooch for her mother with the symbol of her house, a silver stallion. When she returned it was not one fine piece of artistry that awaited her but two. Rey had made the brooch for the mother as commissioned, but he had also taken it upon himself to make a brooch for the daughter, this time in the form of a silver fox.  
  
"Its is most beautiful," she said in awe, 'sadly I only have enough for the one brooch." He smiled at her and allowed his eyes to take in the full of her beauty. Her hair was deep red, her eyes emerald green, matching well with the healthy tan of her face. Her body was slim, yet full in the right places and she wasn't fat like the daughters of most merchants. Instead she was very well toned. Realizing he was staring he placed the brooch in her hand and held them within his own. "My lady, when I first saw you I was taken back by your beauty. But when I first saw the smile in your eyes I felt touched by your spirit, and since that day I have been inspired. The fox suites you and compliments your beauty and your spirit, except this gift with my thanks." An awkward silence passed as both realized they were blushing deeply.  
  
For the next three years Paliah's father had kept Rey busy with orders from brooches and pins he would resell to nobles at fabulous prices. And always he sent his instruction through Paliah, giving the couple an excuse to see one another often. And through business with the merchant Wallis, Rey had become almost wealthy. The two had talked often of things other than business, their hopes and dreams and plans for the future, and their fondness for one another. It was last year at the winter feast that Rey put forth the question of marriage both to an anxious Paliah and her more than happy father. Though he chose not to show it this was much to the chagrin of a young nobleman who had been trying for months to court the young lady with little success. Idly Rey tried to recall the man's name. But then he remembered his brother's early wedding gift and smiled. Kayden had given up the life of a killer and had joined a monastery.  
  
It was still a shock to him, that Kayden the Ice Demon; would chose to become a priest. "I'm tired of a life that brings only death and pain Rey. Last year a boy no more than seventeen waited for me in a dark alley. With his dying breath he told me that I'd assassinated his father three years ago. His ghost still haunts me, and that's why I'm leaving you wit these." And with that his brother handed him his swords. The weapons were beautifully made, forged by a master and cooled in dragon blood, and supposedly sealed with guardian spirits the weapons were priceless. Rey shuddered at the thought of them, those cursed swords had brought his brother only sorrow since he'd retired from a life a war. He tried to settle down with a young widow and her son, but they died of plague. Stricken with grief Kayden turned to back to life as a warrior, but with no wars to be fought in this part of the world he turned to life as an assassin.  
  
Leaving thoughts of the past behind him he decided on a whim to walk through the woods, he'd promised Paliah that he'd meet her in half an hour, and time had seem to get away from him. "Just a quick stroll then." He said to himself. As he began his walk he felt he understood at least part of what his brother was saying, here he felt at peace, part of the land and the sky and trees. His peace was broken by the sound of a young woman crying out. A sickening feeling hit him as he raced toward the clearing up a head. Not usually given to bouts of heroism he was surprised at the urgency with which he ran. As he finally approached he saw six men, four of which were obviously noblemen from their dress. Two of them held down a young lady with red hair as another made sport of her and the others watched. A burning shot through his blood as he'd never had before and a chilling current of ice followed it, and his hands ached for a weapon to kill the men raping his Paliah.  
  
To his credit Rey managed to kill one of the young nobles before his comrades plunged their knives into him. And as he lay beside Paliah for the last time looked up at young men with tears in his eyes. "Hear me my brother... burried beneath the house is...is a chest. Inside of it...what you...left me, the swords. They call to...call to you don't they Ice Slayer?" As Rey spoke his last words his brother heard them several miles away and opened his eyes. 


	2. Part I: Arrogance

Ralis had always been considered by his peers to be a tracker of almost mystical ability. It was no surprise that with his wolf lean frame, sharp extraordinary skills, that he chose to be a hunter of men. He removed the head ban that kept his thick brown locks in place, and wiped the sweat that was running down into his eyes. A man in his early fifties, Ralis still possessed all the physical ability of someone half his years. A formidable knife fighter and fair swordsman he felt fully confident in his hard won prowess, but that confidence did not ease his doubts on this particular hunt. The man he was hunting wasn't a typical outlaw, he was an assassin, and though Ralis had hunted many such, none were akin to Kayden. A hunter could judge his quarry by the trail they left behind. How often a man changed directions, how hard he pushed his horse, where he made camp; all these things, so many insignificant details told of a man or woman's character. And by determining their character Ralis could predict them as if their mind was his own.  
  
Kayden's trail was more than troubling to him. From what Ralis could tell the man had only rested once every three days, and only hunted for food twice in that time. Even more disturbing was that nothing showed Kayden being fatigued from the lack in food and rest, his pace was consistent. This though sent a shiver down his spine. Demons needed to feed almost as regularly as any living thing, even if the epitaph 'Ice Demon' were true it wouldn't explain this mystery. Leaving the puzzle for another time, Ralis lead his brown gelding to drink beside a shallow stream. Stripping himself of his sleeveless leather shirt and saddle brown leggings he waded into the stream to wash himself. Years of experience taught him to always carry a supply of mint leaves in his saddlebag. It was with these that he washed the stink of horse sweat from his body. Rising from the water fully refreshed he quickly dressed himself and tended to his horse. He felt something cold in his stomach, and his became skittish. His gelding pushed its ears back flat to its skull and began to tremble.  
  
Ralis turned around on instinct only to find a knife at his throat. "I see you haven't lost your touch old man." Said the cold-eyed stranger. He wore a dark cloak, black long sleeve shirt, and black leggings made of leather. He wore gauntlets on each hand each possessing a throwing knife, four more of which he wore on his sword belt. But most impressive were the twin swords that hung at his sides, they were a dark legend within themselves; much like the man who carried them. Having never met Kayden before Ralis was surprised, he knew Kayden to be fierce and harden killer approaching thirty-five. The handsome young man standing before him looked to be no more twenty. His blonde hair trim and his face clean-shaven, the young man could have easily past for a priest if his clothing hadn't given away his identity. Ralis swallowed hard, "I must have lost my touch if a young pup like you can sneak up on me like this. It's good of you to wait for me to clean and wash myself before I die, very sporting of you."  
  
"I don't recall saying I that I was going to kill you,' the young man began sheathing the knife, 'however if that is you wish..." he let the threat hang. Ralis began to relax. No, if you'd meant to kill me I'd be dead, he thought to himself. "Knowing that I still have a few moments to live has mad me rather hungry, would you care for some food?" A wry smile crossed Kayden's face that sent an involuntary shutter through the older man. He went to the saddlebag and returned with a meat pie, two rounds of cheese, and a single wineskin. He handed one of each of these to the young man and drank deeply of the wine before passing it over. "I was beginning to wonder for awhile if you ate or slept at all. Then I found the rabbit snare. Not far from there I found the tree you slept in for a few hours." Kayden ignored him as he dug into the meat pie, it was the single most exquisite thing he'd eaten in years, and the wine was to die for. The meals at the monastery were usually black bread, cheese and a thick vegetable soup, no meat was aloud and rarely did the drink wine.  
  
"Forgive me hunter, but I've been locked up in that monastery and my own company too long. The meat pie was delicious and I've gone without wine for longer than a man should allow." Having followed the pie with half the round of cheese, not to mention all of Ralis' wine, Kayden stretched himself out along the grass. Ralis was further intrigued by the mystery that was Kayden, the so-called 'Ice Slayer'. The man could go days at a time without food or rest and seem none the worse for it, and yet he had devoured a meal two men could have shared. Ralis himself had only managed a small portion of wine and was too full for any of the cheese. Besides which, Kayden had drunken nearly the entire wineskin that should have lasted Ralis another three days, without so much as becoming tipsy! "You've been hunting me almost a month Ralis, what do you think now that you've found me?" Kayden asked. Not usually comfortable with people Ralis found himself relaxing in the company of the most dangerous man he'd ever known. "I think that I've enjoyed tracking you this last month, mind you its been a pain in the ass. I can't say I don't like you young man, for all that is an assassin I don't sense much evil in you, and I heard what they did to your brother."  
  
Ralis thought he'd said too much, at the mention of the word brother something dangerous flared within the young man's eyes for a moment as was gone. In fact it was the fathers of the surviving noblemen who had put a price on the young man's head. Kayden had already been traveling toward the city of Carthis for his brother's wedding; in fact he was the priest who was to marry the couple. When he arrived he'd already known the circumstance of his brother's death and the death of his fiancé. Four noblemen and two of their servants had been hunting in the woods and happened upon the young woman and set about raping her. When her husband to be came upon the scene he killed one of the noblemen before the others butchered him and cut the girl's throat. The official story however is that the young lords had been out hunting and came upon the couple hearing the woman cry out. Thinking she was being raped they ran to her aid of course.  
Naturally the killed the would be rapist and by the time they realized their mistake the woman had taken a knife and killed one of their fellows before cutting her own throat. The magistrate of course confirmed all of this, and a huge compensation was paid to the girl's family. The young lords however had left something out of their story. Somehow they knew that their victims brother would be arriving at his home within a few days and laid in wait for him there, under the pretense of wanting to give the young priest there sincere apologies and make funeral arrangements. As the noblemen tell it the young man wasn't a priest at all but a sorcerer. They tried to reason with him, but he ignored them as he began his spell casting and materialized two demon-blessed swords. The men desperately tried to defend themselves against this foul mage, but overmatched the three survivors fled for their lives. Fearing for the safety of their children the fathers of the young men contracted hunters to find and kill Kayden, and also petitioned the Duke to send soldiers searching the countryside for the former priest. Over two dozen other hunters had began the hunt with Ralis a month ago, and another fifteen or so had joined since. Ralis had been keeping a tally of the bodies he'd found so far. Nineteen bodies.  
  
"Tell me why I still live Kayden. You at least owe me that much for the meal; you could have and still could kill me at anytime. We both know you have no qualms about killing, you were a soldier, and after that an assassin. You've killed Nineteen other hunters, why am I so special?" The older man asked. Kayden looked at him, his features seemed somehow soften, and his expression was genuine. "You really want to know? You've been studying me by my trail Ralis, you know who I am and how I work. But I've studied your trail also. You're patient, you treat your horse as if she were your wife, and you respect the land. The other hunters were arrogant, greedy, and had no redeeming qualities. The world will not miss the kind. You Ralis, you're worth ten of them, and a hundred of me for that fact, for I am worse than the men I killed, all twenty three of them." Either Kayden had picked off another four hunters in the last three days, or Ralis hadn't found all the previous bodies, neither thought pleased the older man.  
  
"That is all well and fine master Kayden, and I do take it as a compliment, but you are still evading my original question, why haven't you killed me?" The young man sat up and stretched his muscles. "Because you hunt for the hunt and not for the gold. While hunting me you knew that there would be a chance that I'd try to stalk you, you covered your trail as if you were the prey. That's rare, and you took care in camping out in the open and near the road, the very places a hunted man avoids. In short its because you are the type of man I wish I had been, the man I might have been if not for these." As he spoke he pulled the 'storm swords' from his belt and in one fluid motion rose to his feet. The blades were a dull steel blue that glinted in the sunlight, the hilts polished silver with a single blue gem in the center. Ralis was caught in awe of the magnificent blades. A great deal of workmanship and quality went into those swords. It was then that he realized the hilts formed dragons clutching the blue orbs. 


End file.
